Month of December - www.NewRealEstateProperty.com - Dave Werth 218-790-7653 - Kvamme Real Estate
" A little dose of everything all in one email"
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Quote of the Month
"Kind words are the music of the world."
Frederick William Faber (1814 - 1863, British Theologian)
So why the long face?
Long-term rates fell again during the week of Thanksgiving as concern for the economy deepened: the 10-year Treasury fell to 3.27 percent, taking mortgages a hair under 5 percent. However, much of the new data in the holiday-shortened week was quite favorable: new claims for unemployment insurance nosedived to 466,000 last week, a huge drop from the prior 505,000 threshold and 200,000 below the worst of last winter. Another happy surprise: October sales of existing homes surged 10.1 percent, sales of new ones by 6.2 percent, and even purchase loan applications showed a little life. Look for a strong start in February, 2 months earlier than the norm for home sales to start moving. Rates look to move higher in mid 2010 and may be there to stay... Contact your lender for more detailed information...
Personal Growth and Development
Why We Must Connect With Others
It is important to remember that we are human beings. And being human, it is important to realize that we are designed to connect with others. It is the separation of that design that removes the happiness and fulfillment that we all need. It is that connection that allows you to live The Good Life. It is not our calling to go about our lives focused only on what we do at work, and then try to fit our personal lives into the cracks of the day. Our capacity for love, affection, warmth, and friendship are rich and reliable sources of human happiness. The key is to transform the "I" and "U" in our lives into "We." Evolving our lives to a higher level allows us to cultivate a sense of belonging that brings rich rewards of human satisfaction, along with better physical, mental, and emotional health. The key is to connect with others. Connecting with the human race helps to strengthen the wider community and is vital to building a better you.
Restaurant of the Month: PEPPER'S CAFÉ
Pepper's American Cafe
2510 University Dr. S.
Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: 701.232.2366
South Fargo
Looking for a Restaurant, check out this Chamber link to over 350 Restaurants to choose from: http://www.fargomoorhead.org/restaurants/index.php?v=style
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH - "9 Layer Holiday Dip"
Ingredients
•· 4 slices lean bacon
•· 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans, plain
•· 1/2 cup sour cream
•· 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
•· 3/4 cup shredded chedar cheese
•· 3/4 cup guacamole (Frozen or Prepared is Fine)
•· 1/3 cup diced tomatoe (about 1 Romano Tomato)
•· 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped finely
•· 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
•· 2 tablespoons finely sliced green onions
Fry diced bacon until done, add refried beans and cook slowly and stirrer frequently until the bacon and bacon drippings are mixed through about 15 minutes, remove from heat. Mix taco seasoning with sour cream and set aside. To built 9 layer dip place ingredients in this order. Place refried beans on serving platter spread out to 1- 1 1/2 inches thick. Then layer: 1/2 C shredded cheese, 1/2 C prepared sour cream, 3/4 C guacamole, diced tomatoes, diced cilantro, black olives, sliced green onion, and 1/4 C cheese for garnish Serve with chips..
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Snowmobile Enthusiasts
Snow is soon upon us and inevitable! Keep up to date on your weather this season and visit: http://www.noaa.gov/
Also, if your looking for a few friends to go riding with? Check out http://www.claytrails.org/ for events, trail information, upcoming dates, and places to go riding!
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Managing Your Debt - For Couples Being Married and Handling the Money by Carol Ann
Many times, one person in the relationship is primarily in charge of the finances, but it really should be a team effort. When a couple is not on the same page, it's extremely hard to reach any debt elimination goals, much less overall financial goals.
Getting married always brings sets of issues to the table, the biggest problem area can be the financial area. Lack of communication is generally the instigator for the problems to arise. So it's crucial that the communication stays open even if only one person is handling the normal processes, both need to know what's going on.
Now you may think that you are taking on all the financial responsibility by being the one who is shouldering the burden of paying the bills, however what you may truly be doing is making your spouse reliant on you. If your spouse is not aware of all the financial information, then if something happens to you, how will they go on? Will they know what bills are due and who to pay? Or will they even know which bank their money is in? If you think it's a protective measure to keep negative financial information from your partner, you're wrong; it's a good way of causing a problem. Even if money problems are all around, it's fair to let your spouse know what is happening in the household budgets. You don't have to talk about it every day but at least do an update once a quarter.
Communicating about the finances can take a couple of different paths. One way is to have separate bills and separate accounts, this works well for some. Another way is to have a book where the money coming and going can be noted, then the spouse can look at it and it doesn't have to be a daily discussion. The best scenario is for both partners to be engaged in the handling of financials whether they are negative or positive. Sharing information makes it a team effort so that everyone works toward the same goal. Prior to making any decisions regarding your ‘saving marriage' problems, visit www.LightYourFire.com. Their professionals can assist you in reviewing some marriage programs which would be helpful for you. Let www.LightYourFire.com show you the many ways they can find a solution to the issues.
Invest In Your Future - An Offer You Can't Refuse?
Many of us have heard the term "down-sizing." Down-sizing in corporations has taken its toll on the American worker. Many people, ranging in age from their late 40s to early 60s, now face very difficult employment decisions. In record numbers, employers in almost all industries are asking middle-aged, middle managers, to consider "early retirement." The offers may range from lucrative to paltry, but the decisions are difficult in almost every case. Let's review some of the factors to consider when evaluating one of these "offers you can't refuse." You must consider three levels of concern when contemplating retirement. First, you must consider the emotional aspects of an early retirement decision. It is possible, in fact probable, that you never considered retiring today. For many people, especially those in their 40s and early 50s, retirement is still a hazy goal, far off in the future. They may not have given any thought to what they will do during retirement, whether they will seek other employment or any of a myriad of other opportunities. The offer of early retirement can affect those who choose to stay with the company as well. Will they have the same, hopefully positive, feelings toward their employer and supervisor? Early retirement programs are often instituted by companies undergoing stressful and uncertain times. Staying around may seem almost as difficult as leaving. You may be unable or unwilling to make financial decisions until you confront these emotional and psychological issues.
The second level of concern is financial. Obviously, you have two choices: do I stay, or do I go? If you choose to stay, what is the financial health of the company? Should you take the money and run? If you stay, what are the prospects for career promotions and pay increases? Will staying merely postpone an inevitable career change, under perhaps less advantageous circumstances? Of course, leaving is also fraught with uncertainty. If you intend to pursue another position, many experts estimate that your job search will last about one month for every $10,000 in compensation paid by the former employer. Many early retirees become entrepreneurs, so the prospects for a new business and the need for start-up capital must be considered. When evaluating the retirement offer itself, there are also a variety of potential pitfalls. Health insurance is a major concern for many, so find out whether you will continue to be covered. Employers with defined benefit plans may be granting additional years of service or assuming early retirees are older than their actual age for purposes of computing their benefit. The employer may also offer some additional benefit to tide the employee over until age 62 when they can begin to collect Social Security.
The third level of concern consists of the tax issues that come into play. Numerous special rules may apply. For example, those who were at least 60 on January 1, 1996 may qualify to use ten-year forward averaging. Those who are 55 or older when they receive their retirement plan distribution are not subject to the 10 percent penalty. If you elect to pursue the substantially equal payment exception to the 10 percent penalty, the payments must continue for the longer of five years or turning age 59 ½.
Of course, this brief article is no substitute for a careful consideration of all of the advantages and disadvantages of this matter in light of your unique personal circumstances. Before implementing any significant tax or financial planning strategy, contact your financial planner, attorney or tax advisor as appropriate. Feel free to call me at 817-501-6950 any time.
Greg Hutto
Chartered Financial Analyst
Certified Financial Planner
Riley Hutto Wealth Management, LLC
Thank you for taking the time to read this months email. If you have any suggestions, questions, or input, please do so, as every month is just a little more interesting with your help!!!
Sincerely,
Dave Werth
218-790-7653 Cell
218-236-7534 Fax
davew@kvammerealestate.com
www.NewRealEstateProperty.com
Kvamme Real Estate
3401 S. 8th St.
Moorhead, MN 56560
